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The Bennington Cookie Clickers and Manchester Machine Makers will be two of 19 Vermont robotics teams competing in the 31st Robotics Competition through First Tech Challenge this weekend.

The Bennington Cookie Clickers and Manchester Machine Makers will be two of 19 Vermont robotics teams competing in the 31st Robotics Competition through First Tech Challenge this weekend.

DORSET — The Bennington Cookie Clickers and Manchester Machine Makers will be two of 19 Vermont robotics teams competing in the 31st Robotics Competition through First Tech Challenge this weekend.

The competition, for teens in grades seven through 12, sets a unique challenge each year that teams work on from mid-September to March. The Bennington team is in its second year and the Manchester team is in its third. Team members are 11 to 18 years old and attend Burr and Burton Academy, Maple Street School, Southshire Community School and Cambridge School, or are homeschooled.

This year’s challenge is called Freight Frenzy Challenge. Each team built a robot to pick up freight and deliver it to a shipping hub with multiple levels.

Plans for the Bennington County teams going forward are to go to the state competition and then start recruiting for next year. The state competition is on Saturday in Hinesburg. View the livestream at youtu.be/I57Glg0Ve1k.

While neither of the teams have official sponsors, Engineered Printing Solutions in Dorset has supported the Manchester Machine Makers this year and in past years. The Bennington Area Makers has provided support for the Bennington team.

For more information, contact Manchester coach Meg Ruley at FTC16221@gmail.com or Bennington coaches Chris Callahan at Chris.Callahan@uvm.edu or Jackie Kelly at jackiekellyvt@gmail.com.

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